SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4288-1
The high-temperature oxidation resistance of Cr2AlC MAX phase ceramics is severely compromised by rapid Al depletion and the formation of a brittle sub-surface Cr7C3 layer. This study elucidates how trace Y2O3 doping (0.25 and 0.5 wt.%) modulates the oxidation behavior of Cr2AlC at 1100 °C. The incorporation of 0.5 wt.% Y2O3 significantly suppresses the parabolic rate constant compared to undoped counterparts. This kinetic suppression is attributed to the Reactive Element Effect (REE), where Y3+ segregation at α-Al2O3 grain boundaries inhibits outward Al3+ diffusion, shifting the scale growth mechanism to inward oxygen diffusion control. Consequently, this retarded Al consumption prevents the decomposition of the Cr2AlC substrate into Cr7C3. While undoped specimens fail due to volume contraction and Kirkendall voiding associated with the Cr7C3 interlayer, specimens with the most effective doping content within the investigated range maintain a stable, atomically sharp α-Al2O3/Cr2AlC interface devoid of voids and decomposition products. The superior adhesion of this interface is attributed to three synergistic factors: the elimination of volumetric mismatch induced by phase transformation, the mechanical interlocking provided by Y-rich oxide pegs, and the intrinsically higher interfacial bonding strength of the α-Al2O3/Cr2AlC system as confirmed by DFT calculations. These findings provide a mechanistic framework for designing oxidation-resistant MAX phase ceramics via reactive element doping.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4257-y
Hafnia-based ferroelectrics exhibit a distinctive reverse size effect and exceptional scalability, positioning them as critical candidates for CMOS-compatible non-volatile memory and ferroelectric transistors, with substantial promise for advancing hardware acceleration in artificial intelligence and large-data storage technologies. However, their practical deployment is constrained by a longstanding dilemma: the difficulty in simultaneously stabilizing metastable polar phases and ensuring long-term reliability under the high electric fields required for polarization switching. This review reinterprets this challenge through the lens of defect physics and advocates a paradigm shift from stochastic, disorder-mediated defect incorporation toward ordered, multiscale defect engineering. We systematically discuss the collective influence of point defects, line defects, planar defects, and defect-coupled structures on the phase stability, switching kinetics, and failure mechanisms in hafnia-based ferroelectrics. Controlling oxygen-vacancy states, engineering dopants via Fermi-level and chemical pressure, deploying periodic dislocation arrays, designing topological domain walls, functionalizing interfaces, and leveraging flexoelectric strain gradients constitute the core strategic toolkit. Through such ordered defect architectures, scalable performance metrics, including high remanent polarization, low coercive field, fast switching speed, and endurance exceeding 10^12 cycles, become attainable. These approaches establish a set of design principles for next-generation low-power, high-reliability ferroelectric electronics.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202507057
This study presents a novel electrochemical sensor for the rapid detection of trace lead ions (Pb(II)) in water, utilizing a rod-shaped bismuth-based electrode. The electrode was fabricated by modifying a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) with basic bismuth nitrate [Bi6O5(OH)3](NO3)5·3H2O, synthesized via a chemical precipitation method. The sensor was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), confirming the rod-like morphology and composition. Electrochemical detection was performed using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) in a 0.1 mol·L−1 NaAc-HAc buffer (pH 4.3). The sensor exhibited a linear detection range for Pb(II) from 1 to 90 μg·L−1, with a detection limit of 0.34 μg·L−1 and a sensitivity of 106 μA·(μmol·L−1)−1. The electrode demonstrated excellent anti-interference capability and reproducibility. Recovery tests in real water samples (tap water and campus lake water) yielded high recovery rates, indicating practical applicability. This work provides a simple, cost-effective, and reliable method for monitoring trace Pb(II) in environmental water, particularly relevant for public swimming pools and similar aquatic facilities.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202604001
This study systematically investigated the occurrence, spatial distribution, sources, and ecological risks of 160 pesticides in Dianchi Lake, a typical plateau lake impacted by agricultural activities. A total of 37 pesticides were detected in the water, with total concentrations ranging from 64.2 to 1132.8 ng/L (average 610.0 ng/L). Fungicides, including boscalid (BOS), fluopicolide (FPC), and dimethomorph (DMM), were dominant, contributing up to 65.0% of the total concentration. Spatially, the southern lake region exhibited significantly higher concentrations (672.5 ng/L) than the north, attributed to intensive facility agriculture. Highly hydrophobic pesticides, such as penconazole (PEN), showed a tendency to enrich in bottom layers. Source apportionment identified inflowing rivers and wastewater treatment plant effluents as primary input sources, with average concentrations 7 and 9 times higher than lake water, respectively. Ecological risk assessment revealed that pesticides posed the highest risk to algae, followed by daphnia and fish. Prometryn (PMT) was identified as a high-risk factor for algae, while profenofos (PFF) and carbendazim (CBD) posed potential threats to higher trophic levels. These findings provide fundamental data and technical support for understanding pesticide pollution in plateau lake ecosystems.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2025120801
The interaction between microplastic-derived dissolved organic matter (PSDOM) and iron oxides in soil environments can modulate its photosensitization effects, yet the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. This study investigated the influence of hematite with distinct morphologies—flake-shaped (HNPs) and cubic (HNCs)—on the photosensitization of polystyrene-derived dissolved organic matter (PSDOM). Under 500 W mercury lamp irradiation, both hematite morphologies promoted PSDOM degradation, with HNCs exhibiting superior performance: total organic carbon (TOC) decreased from 18.4 mg·L−1 to 12.3 mg·L−1 within 90 min, compared to 13.3 mg·L−1 for HNPs. Three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy indicated that hematite alters the humification process, thereby modifying photosensitization. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy identified the generation of singlet oxygen (1O2), hydroxyl radicals (·OH), and carbon-centered radicals (CH3C(=O)OO·). HNCs significantly enhanced 1O2 production, while HNPs favored ·OH generation; both inhibited CH3C(=O)OO· formation. Quantitative analysis via high-performance liquid chromatography revealed that the steady-state concentration of 1O2 was highest with HNCs, reaching 2.80 times that of the PSDOM control, whereas ·OH concentration peaked with HNPs at 1.98 times the control. Notably, the steady-state concentration of 1O2 was approximately three orders of magnitude higher than that of ·OH. These findings elucidate the morphology-dependent role of hematite in PSDOM photosensitization, providing mechanistic insights into the environmental fate of microplastic-derived organic matter in complex soil systems.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3774-3
Lithium-air capacitor batteries (LACBs) integrate the rapid charge-discharge capability of supercapacitors into conventional lithium-oxygen batteries, significantly enhancing power density. However, their cycling stability remains unsatisfactory. In this study, we incorporated redox mediators (RMs) into an LACB featuring a dual-cathode configuration. This design facilitates sustained electron transfer between the electrode and Li2O2/Oxygen, thereby delaying RM deactivation caused by electrode passivation and improving overall electrochemical performance. The RM-enhanced battery achieved over 250 cycles at 2 mA cm−2 with a limited capacity of 0.5 mAh cm−2, while exhibiting a 0.54 V reduction in charging voltage at 0.1 mA cm−2 compared to the RM-free system. Furthermore, application of an aluminum foil sealing technique enabled a power density of 13.8 mW cm−2 at 6 mA cm−2, overcoming mass transport limitations inherent in open-cell configurations. We also investigated the influence of oxygen barrier films with varying barrier capabilities on LACB performance. Results indicate that films with superior oxygen resistance better maintain a clean capacitor electrode surface, thereby providing more stable electron supply to the RMs and enhancing rate capability and cycling performance. These findings underscore the potential of redox mediators in improving the performance and longevity of LACBs, offering a promising strategy for their future development.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202505104
This study investigated the synergistic remediation of aged oil-contaminated soil collected from an oil well in Yanchang, northern Shaanxi, China, with an initial total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) concentration of 17.1 g·kg⁻¹, exceeding the second-class land use screening value (4,500 mg·kg⁻¹) by approximately 3.8-fold. Indigenous high-efficiency degrading strains were screened and a microbial consortium was constructed. Pot experiments were conducted to compare the TPH degradation efficiencies and soil property changes under plant, microbial, and combined plant-microbial remediation. The consortium MC-5 (SDB1:SDB2:SDB3:SDB4 = 1:1:0:3) exhibited the highest TPH degradation rate of 83.46% in liquid culture. In soil, combined remediation with ryegrass (Lolium perenne) achieved a TPH degradation rate of 60.93%, significantly higher than the control (CK) by 54.26 percentage points. The consortium also degraded recalcitrant resins and asphaltenes by 49.44%. The microbial consortium played a dominant role, contributing 63%–69% to TPH removal, whereas plant contribution was only 2%–12%, primarily in the later stage. Addition of rhamnolipid biosurfactant enhanced the combined remediation, increasing TPH degradation by 7.05 percentage points compared to non-amended treatments. These findings provide insights into the mechanisms of plant-microbial synergy and offer theoretical and practical guidance for bioremediation of petroleum-contaminated soils.
Environmental Chemistry•2026•DOI: 10.7524/j.issn.0254-6108.2026020207
Although the production and use of hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) have been completely banned in China since December 2021, historical production activities may still leave high-concentration residual contamination in localized areas. This study investigated a typical legacy site of historical HBCDs production in eastern China. Surface and core soil samples were systematically collected both inside and outside the former plant area to characterize the occurrence, spatial distribution, and environmental burden of HBCDs, and to evaluate associated human health risks. Results showed that HBCD concentrations in soils outside the plant area ranged from below detection limit to 6.90×10² ng·g⁻¹ dw, while those inside the plant area were substantially higher, reaching up to 1.18×10⁶ ng·g⁻¹ dw. γ-HBCD was the dominant isomer; however, its relative abundance was lower than that reported in commercial HBCD mixtures and in previous studies conducted near production facilities. Outside the plant, HBCDs concentrations in soil generally decreased with increasing distance from the site, yet remained detectable at a distance of approximately 10 km (15.2 ng·g⁻¹ dw). Within the plant area, HBCDs concentrations in soil cores decreased with depth, declining from 1.08×10⁴–1.18×10⁶ ng·g⁻¹ dw in surface soils to 1.05–93.5 ng·g⁻¹ dw at depths of about 4 m. Analysis of the relative cumulative environmental burden indicated that although HBCDs loads were highest in the near-source area, they gradually accumulated over a broader spatial scale. Approximately 23.7%, 40.1%, 60.0%, and 87.1% of the total estimated burden accumulated within 2 km, 2.81 km, 4 km, and 6 km from the site, respectively. Health risk assessment indicated that oral ingestion of soil was the primary exposure pathway for different populations. Localized high-contamination zones within the plant area contributed significantly to non-carcinogenic risks, while overall risks for children outside the plant area were at acceptable levels.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202607021
The continuous expansion of urban sewage treatment capacity has led to a sustained increase in sludge generation, making efficient treatment, disposal, and resource recovery critical in environmental engineering. Machine learning (ML) offers substantial potential for prediction and optimization in sludge treatment by extracting non-linear features from complex operational data. This review systematically examines the application of ML across typical sludge treatment processes, including dewatering, resource recovery (anaerobic digestion), and terminal disposal (incineration and landfill). The general modeling workflow is summarized across three dimensions: dataset preparation, algorithm selection, and model evaluation. A comparative analysis evaluates the applicability and limitations of support vector machines (SVM), random forests (RF), artificial neural networks (ANN), and other deep learning models. SVMs demonstrate greater stability with small-to-medium sample sizes and high-dimensional data, while RFs exhibit strong generalization and provide variable importance insights. ANNs and deep learning models excel in large-scale data and time-series or image tasks but require high data quality. Key findings from the literature include ANN achieving R²=0.99 and RMSE=0.02 in dewatering prediction, and R²=0.86 with NRMSE=0.31 in anaerobic digestion, while gradient boosting reached R²=0.90 and RMSE=0.33. Future directions emphasize multi-source data fusion, model interpretability (e.g., SHAP), and coupling ML with mechanistic models to enhance predictive accuracy and generalization, supporting intelligent and refined sludge treatment management.
Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology•2026•DOI: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202607022
Anaerobic sludge digestion is the core process for achieving energy recovery and sludge reduction in wastewater treatment plants. However, its complex biological reaction mechanisms and multivariable coupling characteristics pose persistent challenges to process optimization and stable control. Traditional mechanistic models, while theoretically clear, suffer from parameter calibration difficulties and insufficient adaptability under dynamic and nonlinear conditions. Machine learning (ML) has gained attention for its powerful data modeling capabilities. This review systematically examines ML applications in sludge anaerobic digestion, focusing on biogas production prediction, process monitoring and early warning, and process parameter optimization. For gas production, hybrid models and deep learning achieve high-precision methane yield predictions. Soft-sensing models using easy-to-measure parameters enable real-time estimation of volatile fatty acids and total ammonia nitrogen. At the optimization level, coupling surrogate models with optimization algorithms provides dynamic regulation strategies for co-digestion ratios and pretreatment conditions. Interpretable methods address the 'black-box' issue, enhancing engineering acceptability. Deep integration of these methods with dynamic optimization supports an intelligent decision-making framework. However, translation from laboratory to engineering faces constraints including data quality, model generalization, and implementation. This paper provides an analytical framework combining predictive capability with engineering reliability for sludge treatment optimization.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3967-x
Metal-halide perovskites exhibit exceptional optical gain, narrow emission linewidths, and high emission efficiency, positioning them as promising candidates for next-generation lasers. Thermal evaporation, a mature semiconductor fabrication technique, offers scalability, yet monitoring phase distribution during deposition remains challenging. This study systematically investigates and regulates thermally evaporated FAxCs0.8PbBr3 perovskite films by tuning formamidinium (FA) content to optimize phase distribution. At intermediate FA content, films achieve a balanced distribution of n=2 to n=5 quantum-well phases, facilitating ultrafast carrier transfer (<0.31 ps) and suppressing nonradiative recombination. FA+ actively incorporates as an A-site cation, promoting ordered crystallization and reducing defect densities. The optimized films exhibit a net modal gain of 1041 cm−1 and a gain lifetime of 129 ps. Benefiting from efficient internal scattering, the threshold for cavity-free random lasing is reduced to below 5 μJ/cm2 at room temperature. The low spatial coherence of random lasing enables speckle-free imaging with a speckle contrast as low as 0.011 and improved contrast-to-noise ratios across all spatial frequencies. This work provides a scalable strategy for perovskite composition-phase engineering, advancing speckle-free laser imaging systems compatible with semiconductor-grade, large-area manufacturing.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-4011-7
Biomass-derived room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) carbon dots (CDs) hold great promise for anti-counterfeiting and information encryption. However, achieving solid-state matrix-free long-lived CDs with time-dependent phosphorescence colors (TDPC) remains challenging due to aggregation-induced quenching. Here, solid-state matrix-free RTP phosphorus-doped CDs (P-CDs) are developed via one-step hydrothermal treatment of feather powder and phytic acid. The resulting P-CDs powder exhibits bright blue fluorescence under UV illumination and unprecedented TDPC shifting from yellow to green after UV removal, with afterglow lasting 12 s (average lifetime 1.15 s). Enhanced RTP is attributed to increased triplet-state excitons via spin-orbit coupling induced by P-doping. A dual-mode luminescent ink formulated by combining P-CDs with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is successfully applied to commercial A4 paper, showing pronounced TDPC (light-yellow to green) with improved RTP lifetime (1.31 s) after ceasing UV irradiation. The P-CDs/PVA ink demonstrates excellent anti-counterfeiting and information encryption capabilities, outstanding luminescent durability, and broad practicability on cellulosic substrates including fabric and paper. These findings provide a strategy for exploiting matrix-free solid-state RTP P-CDs with distinctive TDPC properties and offer a sustainable route to converting feather wastes into high-value materials.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3978-0
All-polymer solar cells (all-PSCs) are promising for flexible and wearable electronics due to their excellent stability and mechanical stretchability. However, achieving high performance remains challenging due to difficulties in controlling the morphology of polymer blend films. In this study, a novel polymer donor, PBDTF-DTP, incorporating a weak electron-withdrawing yet large-dipole-moment dithienylphthalimide (DTP-2T) unit, was rationally designed and synthesized for ternary all-PSCs. Introducing PBDTF-DTP as a guest donor enables complementary light absorption and deepens the highest occupied molecular orbital level, simultaneously improving short-circuit current density (J_SC) and open-circuit voltage (V_OC). The large dipole moment of DTP-2T increases the dielectric constant, suppressing non-radiative energy loss and further boosting V_OC. Notably, PBDTF-DTP exhibits a relatively higher molecular electrostatic potential than the host donor, effectively tuning compatibility with both polymer donor and acceptor, regulating blend morphology, and promoting formation of a nanoscale fibrillar network. This optimized morphology facilitates efficient charge generation and transport while suppressing charge recombination. Consequently, ternary all-PSCs based on PM6:PBDTF-DTP:PYIT achieve a synergistic enhancement in J_SC, V_OC, and fill factor, yielding a remarkable power conversion efficiency of 18.01%, significantly higher than that of binary PM6:PYIT devices (15.51%). This study demonstrates that combining electrostatic potential optimization with a ternary strategy provides an effective approach to regulate morphology and achieve high-efficiency all-PSCs.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-4003-7
The escalating electromagnetic (EM) pollution necessitates the development of high-performance microwave absorbers (MAs) with integrated functionalities. However, it is still a difficult problem to integrate more related high performances into the designed MAs. Herein, a sustainable strategy was reported for fabricating three-dimensional (3D) porous magnetic Ni@C-anchored carbon foams (Ni@C/CFs) with abundant heterointerfaces and magnetic Ni@C nanoparticles using 3D porous chitosan foams and Ni-nitrilotriacetic acid chelate (Ni-NAC) as precursors. The modulation of carbonization temperature and concentration of Ni-NAC solution contributed to the tunable carbon graphitization, Ni crystallinity and magnetic Ni@C nanoparticles loading, which effectively improved their EM properties and EM wave absorption performances (EMWAPs). The optimized 3D porous magnetic Ni@C/CFs not only exhibited exceptional EMWAPs with a minimum reflection loss (RL min) of −27.58 dB and an ultra-wide effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 7.20 GHz, but also presented efficient thermal insulation and strong antibacterial activity (>95% inhibition against E. coli), which mainly originated from their excellent magnetic-dielectric synergies and unique 3D hierarchical porous structures. Consequently, this work delivers a coherent design strategy for next-generation multifunctional absorbers with potential applications in EM protection, thermal management, and adaptive stealth technologies.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-4058-4
Bacterial infection following endometrial injury delays tissue regeneration and may progress to endometritis and other reproductive disorders. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) offers a promising antibacterial strategy in the post-antibiotic era, yet its efficacy is often limited by rapid recombination of photogenerated charge carriers and poor penetration of visible excitation light. Here, we report a previously unexplored upconversion-mediated, Type I dominant photodynamic antibacterial uterine scaffold specifically designed for infection-associated endometrial injury. The core innovation is the construction of a Schottky Ag0-Ag2S heterojunction on NaYF4:Yb,Tm nanoparticles using ZIF-8 as a sacrificial precursor, enabling efficient charge separation and oxygen-independent hydroxyl radical generation, overcoming the oxygen dependence of conventional Type II PDT under hypoxic uterine conditions. The upconversion core permits deep-tissue-penetrable near-infrared (NIR) activation. Beyond instantaneous PDT, dynamic release of Ag+ ions provides synergistic bactericidal activity, enabling spatiotemporally coordinated biofilm disruption. These nanostructures were incorporated into patient-customizable, biodegradable poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) scaffolds fabricated by selective laser sintering, achieving simultaneous antibacterial therapy and endometrial regeneration in a single platform. This integration of an oxygen-independent PDT mechanism, MOF-templated heterojunction engineering, and 3D printed personalized uterine implants constitutes a comprehensive therapeutic strategy not previously reported for treating infection and endometrial injury.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4223-2
Flexible wearable electronics require materials that simultaneously exhibit high conductivity, mechanical flexibility, and environmental robustness. Polyoxometalate (POM)-based conductive hydrogels are promising candidates but suffer from poor interfacial compatibility with polymer matrices and severe conductivity loss at subzero temperatures. Here, we report a POM-based proton-conductive hydrogel (PVA/P(SBMA-AM)/PW12/PA, denoted PSAWA) engineered by incorporating zwitterionic sulfobetaine methacrylate (SBMA), phytic acid (PA), and H3PW12O40 (PW12) into a poly(vinyl alcohol)-polyacrylamide dual-network. SBMA enhances PW12 loading and dispersion via an electrostatic–steric synergistic mechanism, while PA cooperates with PW12 to construct low-energy-barrier proton-conduction pathways, enabling fast proton migration even at −40 °C. The resulting PSAWA hydrogel achieves ultrahigh proton conductivities of 2.71 × 10−1 S cm−1 at 25 °C and 1.06 × 10−2 S cm−1 at −40 °C, alongside high stretchability, self-healing capability, antibacterial activity, and biocompatibility. Flexible biosensors and supercapacitors fabricated from PSAWA maintain outstanding performance at −40 °C. This work provides a viable strategy for developing low-temperature-tolerant proton-conductive hydrogels for advanced wearable electronics.